The build-up to the 2012 Rugby World Cup has been growing in intensity over the past few days and weeks so it’s hard to believe that the big day is finally here! At 7pm tonight (NZ time) the opening ceremony will begin and it is promised to be an opening ceremony like no other. “It will be spectacular, it will be memorable and it will show the world why we are a spirited and creative nation,” said RNZ 2011 CEO Martin Snedden. The first game between New Zealand and Tonga kicks off at 8:30pm at Eden Park with a capacity crowd of 60,000 expected, which is said to be the biggest rugby crowd NZ has seen in more than 50 years.
AUIP’s Friend Marty Coyle took a trip up to Auckland last week and saw all the preparations first hand. Shown above is the giant rugby ball that went around the world to promote the world cup and New Zealand, right is an example of just one of the signs in Auckland now and below is the ‘cloud’ which is fan central in Auckland and accommodate up to 6,000 people to watch the games and to be entertained before and after.
For those of you based Stateside you can follow the USA team games:
September 11th at 6:00pm (NZ time) USA vs Ireland
September 15th at 7:30pm (NZ time) USA vs Russia
September 23rd at 8:30pm (NZ time) USA vs Australia
September 27th at 7:30pm (NZ time) USA vs Italy
We already know of a few reunion parties being organised to watch the All Blacks and the Wallabies, have you any plans?
